In this episode, Nate asks Grace Crosby, NewCity's jack of all trades Ministry Assistant, about her upcoming trip with Freedom424 to Thailand. Her group is heading there to connect with Beginnings Foundation, which works to rescue girls from human trafficking. Grace explains her heart for missions, and then the details and logistics for this particular trip and what they hope it is able to accomplish. The Beginnings Foundation in Thailand leverages basic life skills education to provide alternatives to trafficking victims. They run cooking and sewing schools for the girls, equipping them with new skills and a renewed sense of hope. But the path to recovery isn't straightforward; these girls face daunting challenges such as potential threats within Thailand's public school system and a bleak environment trapping them in this vicious cycle. You can learn more about Grace's trip here.

Eric Stites, Founder of CrossTown, discusses his journey from Desire Street Ministries to serving the Paramore community in Orlando. The podcast explores the evolution of a church plant, creating a gospel environment, and the unique setup of a non-traditional school environment. Topics covered include discipleship, community service, indigenous leadership, personalized learning, and building relationships.

In this episode, Nate sits down with his former Hebrew professor, Dr. Gordon Johnston, Professor of Old Testament at Dallas Seminary. Dr. Johnston helps us understand the nature of the case laws in Exodus 21-23 by explaining how they related to the Decalogue. The discussion also covers how we might read these texts as Christian Scripture today, and even guidance for how we can understand some of the more difficult passages in this section of Exodus.

In this episode, Nate sits down with Dr Glenn Kreider, Professor of Theological Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, where Nate is currently pursuing his PhD under Dr Kreider's supervision. After briefly discussing the PhD program, the conversation moves to God's declaration at the end of Exodus 33, and how that lens helps us make sense of God's character and faithful presence with his people through the rest of the biblical story. 

Ever wonder why the Ten Commandments hold such a prominent place in the Bible? Why they are repeatedly mentioned throughout the scripture and have been instrumental in shaping the moral imagination of Jesus' followers? Today, we embark on an enlightening journey of exploring the profound significance of these commandments and their resonance in our lives.We kick off by discussing the structure of the Ten Commandments, highlighting how Jesus distilled their essence into two primary focuses: our relationship with God and with our neighbors. We examine this ethical approach that transcends our vertical and horizontal relationships, emphasizing the essential commandment of loving our neighbor as ourselves. In this lively discussion, you'll have a chance to see how these commandments, time-tested and potent, provide practical guidance for both times of plenty and times of need. Finally, brace yourself as we venture into the reversal of the logic of religion as depicted in the scriptures. You'll get to see God in a new light – as thunder and smoke, serious and holy, and Lord and lofty. We'll connect this with the narrative of the tabernacle showing how God is transcendent yet imminent, and how He does everything necessary for us to be with Him. We dive deep into Romans 13, analyzing the second table of the law as a manifestation of having greater integrity of faith in every area of life. It's not just a conversation about the Ten Commandments; it's about understanding their importance and relevance in our everyday lives. Join us for this riveting exploration of faith, ethics, and spirituality.Interested listeners can work through the NewCity sermon series on The Ten Commandments here:The Liberated Life: PrologueThe First CommandmentThe Second CommandmentThe Third CommandmentThe Fourth CommandmentThe Fifth CommandmentThe Sixth CommandmentThe Seventh CommandmentThe Eighth CommandmentThe Ninth CommandmentThe Tenth Commandment

In this episode, Pastoral Residents Ryan Gawrych and Kenny Dyches reflect on Stefan Paas' work on Christian mission in a post-Christian society.  They tease out the implications of the discussion from our last episode and glean more insight from Paas' book, Pilgrims and Priests. 

In this episode, Pastoral Resident Ryan Gawrych is joined by First Presbyterian's Theologian in Residence Case Thorp to interview Stefan Paas, who is J.H. Bavinck Professor of Missiology and Intercultural Theology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Professor of Missiology at Theologische Universiteit Kampen. Paas has written extensively on the subjects of biblical theology, public theology, and missiology. Here, Ryan and Case ask him about some of the background and themes of his most recent book, Pilgrims and Priests: Christian Mission in a Post-Christian Society.  Given that our context here in Orlando is also a predominantly post-Christian society, many of the implications from this conversation can be directly applied to our mission here.

In this episode, Nate talks with Theologian in Residence Michael Allen about last fall's Exodus series. They recap some of the themes features in that sermon series, and then look ahead to this second part of Exodus that we will be walking through this fall. Mike draws out the important themes to keep in mind, and how those can be traced both forward and backward through Scripture. 

Ever considered how many new churches we need to plant by 2050 to keep pace with the growth in our communities? It might surprise you - the number is a staggering 70,000! And how does the PCA fit into this picture? In this episode, Damein and Ben sit down with Irwyn Ince, the North American Coordinator for Mission to North America (MNA) as we navigate through his experiences, challenges, and successes in his second year of service. We tackle the hard reality of the PCA's role in addressing the church-planting needs for the future. But that's not all - we also delve into the intricacies of church planting. It's not just about multiplying numbers; it's about diversity and a shift in mindset. With pointed conversations on immigration, credentialing, and language barriers, we unpack how we can better serve our global south. In our pursuit of effective evangelism, we also explore the principle of embracing discomfort, leaning into doctrinal commitments, and earning the right to share the gospel. Join us as we traverse the journey of church planting's future in the PCA, a journey filled with challenges, changes, and immense possibilities.

With fall (or at least Florida fall) around the corner, we're gearing up for the kickoff of Communities at NewCity. After re-launching last fall, we've seen significant growth in the number of Communities, as well as the first signs of multiplication. In this episode, Nate asks Ryan and Kenny, who direct Communities at NewCity, about the vision for Communities, as well as some insights into the new Communities that are available this fall. You can find more information about all of them by downloading the Church Center app and finding NewCity on there.